


Walking The Gray Line

by ALittleBattyLady



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Universe, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Irondad, Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Wrong Number AU, also someone should warn peter about stranger danger, but he will be, half actual fic, half text fic, mentions of depression, peter isn't spider man yet, spiderson, yeah i messed with the time lines a bit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-02-26 00:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18713143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALittleBattyLady/pseuds/ALittleBattyLady
Summary: When Ben Parker dies in his arms, a little piece of Peter dies too. At age 14 he's spiraling down into a hole of emptiness and just can't seem to move forward. Then he accidentally texts the wrong number. Tony thought he could handle whatever the world threw at him, but Steve's betrayal was something he hadn't expected. Months later he's still struggling to pick up the pieces. Then after a wicked bender, he wakes up with a text from a stranger.They've built themselves a world that exists within nonsensical messages, where Peter finds a father figure he never expected and Tony finds himself worrying for a kid who shouldn't have to suffer so much. Still, the world still exists outside of their bubble of texts. The Avengers have been broken apart, the Accords are nowhere near perfect. Peter's uncle is dead and he's about to be thrown into a world of heroes.What started as a chance meeting through a strayed text is about to turn into so much more.AKA The Wrong Number Irondad Au no one asked for, but received





	1. Stranger Danger Exists For A Reason

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not quite sure why I decided to foray into the world of fanfiction but here we are! I got the idea of an Irondad and Spiderson wrong number AU after thinking of all kinds of stupid conversations those two would have 
> 
> Reader beware, this is not canon compliant at all: Infinity War and Endgame don't exist and Thanos was not invited to this party and I also kinda played around with the timeline. Civil War has just happened but Peter was not part of it because Ben has just died and he hasn't been bitten by our favorite radioactive spider yet. (that comes later) 
> 
> Enjoy the fic guys!

 

 When Peter says yes, it’s because he’s thoroughly convinced himself that he can handle it. It’s just hanging out with his best friend after all. Not rocket science. He’s more than capable of doing it. In fact, he has to do it. No more excuses.

The past three months have been hard. All Peter had been doing was making them even harder. Peter knew he wasn’t the only one who had lost someone, the only one who was suffering. It was his uncle been who died, but it was May’s husband who had died as well.  She had done so much for him despite that. She hadn’t herself falter or be weak, not like Peter was. May was truly amazing and on days where he could actually form coherent thoughts, he couldn’t help but marvel at how strong she was.

That was the truth after all. May was stronger than he would ever be. She had lost so much and had been burdened with him, but she still moved forward. She never let herself fall apart either, not when he was around. It didn’t mean he couldn’t hear the muffled sobs at night when he couldn’t sleep, or that he didn’t see her sleeping on the couch when staying inside the room she once shared with Ben was too much to handle.

Somedays Peter couldn’t help the traitorous thoughts that slip into his head. He didn’t deserve Aunt May’s love or care. He was nothing but a burden after all.

It went without out saying that Peter fell apart. He shattered to pieces, and then those pieces were ground to dust when uncle Ben died. On the bad days, nothing he did could remove the red staining his fingertips.  

There are better days when he stays in bed all day sleeping or staring at the wall. They worry May but Peter likes them because at least he isn’t thinking about Uncle Ben’s death. The empty days are filled with a different sensation that leaves him uncomfortable, but he can bear it. It’s harder when he has to go to school. He’ll get distracted. Forget to go to class. It’s been 3 months and he’s still a mess and he isn’t all that confident he’s ever going to stop being one but he needs to try for Aunt May. He wants to be strong. So, he starts talking again. He does his best to pay attention in class. He starts setting alarms, so he doesn’t accidentally skip class. It leaves him absolutely exhausted at the end of the day, but the exhaustion helps in its own odd way. He’s tired enough to go straight to bed and fall into a dreamless sleep and then repeat. Peter is doing better. Or at least as far as people can see.

Still, it was hard to fool his own best friend.

Ned was beyond understanding about everything, perhaps more than he should have actually been. They weren’t best friends for nothing after all, and Peter was beyond grateful for Ned. Maybe that’s why the guilt started. Because just like Aunt May, here was Ned being supportive doing whatever he could for Peter, meanwhile all he could do was stare blankly at a wall 24/7. Ned claimed it was fine whenever Peter had words to apologize, but Peter didn’t think it was fine. Strong. He had to be strong. Somehow.

He had to try. So, when Ned asked him if he’s up for marathoning Star Wars this weekend he said yes without a second thought. The smile that bloomed on his best friend’s face was worth it, and Peter knew he’d made the right decision.

“Cool man!” Ned said excitedly and for a moment Peter could also feel himself getting excited. Months. It had been a while since he and Ned had done anything except eat lunch together. “Oh, that reminds me! I finally got a new phone, copy down my number just in case dude.”

Peter pulled out his phone and copied the number, ignoring the blank wallpaper he had on his phone. He had changed it when Ben died, unable to look at the picture of both of them. Then he continued with his day, the mantra of ‘try harder’ repeatedly going on in his head.

_

 

He changed his mind a few hours before.

It was Saturday morning and it was just one of those days. He had woken up with his heart heavy, Uncle Ben’s death clear in his head, and an uncomfortable hollowness. Peter was glad May had already left for her hospital shift. He worried her enough as it was, she didn’t need to see him like this again.  

He struggled to get out of bed long after the alarm had stopped ringing. After two hours he got to his feet shuffling through the apartment and made his way to the kitchen. He wasn’t hungry, not really, but May had already threatened to hook him up to an IV last week. Eating was important even if he didn’t want to. The last thing Peter needed was to add on to the bills by landing himself in the hospital.

Still, maybe he could wait for a little longer until he ate. Long enough for his stomach to settle at least. Peter looked at his phone and grimaced. The icky feeling of emptiness was strong today. Very strong. He wasn’t going to be able to make it to Ned’s. Peter… he couldn’t. Honestly, Ned deserved a better friend than him.

Peter hated the idea of disappointing Ned. He also hated the idea of leaving the house. He was listless and he didn’t want to do anything. Maybe lie down and sleep some more. If he was going to be in grief he might as well comfortable.

With something that could resemble determination in this listless state of his, Peter unblocked his phone and began typing up a message to Ned. Then he remembered the situation with Ned’s phone. He winced as the memory of Ned accidentally dropping a textbook on came flooding back. Quickly he located the new number and pulled it up, hesitating only for a second when he typed out the message.

**Peter | 1:03 PM**

hey ned

its me Peter

rain check on that marathon?

not feeling too well atm

(Read)

**Ned New Number | 1:03 PM**

Who the hell are you

And how did you get my number                    

**Peter | 1:04**

Dude its me peter

You gave me the number to your phone yesterday

**Ned New Number | 1:05**

Listen the only peter I know

Is peter from the PR department

An I sure as hell hope you aren’t him

Or else you’re fired

**Peter | 1:06 PM**

So

**Ned New Number | 1:06**

So?

**Peter | 1:06**

 I guess your not ned then

**Ned New Number |1:07**

So you’re messaging someone named Ned?

That means you don’t know who I am then

**Peter | 1:07**

Uh no

Im so sorry! I was meant to message my friend ned

He broke his phone the other day

Like accidentally dropped a textbook on it and

well it was very sad to watch, it just shattered

and so I just got his new number yesterday but I guess

I haven’t rlly been having the best of days so like

I probably copied it wrong

But I didn’t mean to bother you!

Im really really sorry!

**Not Ned | 1:09**

You know

Yyou could have just stopped

I really didn’t need your whole life story Patrick

**Peter | 1:10**

Well actually its peter

But close enough I guess

But im sorry guess I really did babble off there

**Not Ned| 1:10**

Has anyone never taught you stranger danger?

**Peter | 1:10**

I mean Peter isn’t the most uncommon name out there

You’re probably gonna have a hard time finding me

Unless you’re an alien

Youre not an alien are you?

**Not Ned | 1:11**

Dear god

Im not texting a junkie am I?

Aliens? Seriously?

**Peter | 1:12**

 What no

Do hugs not drugs

Don’t mock the aliens tho

They could be reading this

Then they’ll kidnap you

And bam next thing you know you’re being probed

Not fun

**Not Ned | 1:13**

So if not high

Then drunk right

Because clearly

That’s the only way we are even having this conversation

**Peter | 1:14**

I’m not drunk

Im an upstanding citizen here

The real question is:

Are you drunk

Or are you an alien?

**Not Ned | 1:14**

Im not yet

But Im definitely going to be if you don’t stop texting me

Because I doubt I can get through this conversation sober

Seriously leave the aliens alone

Im not talking to someone wearing a tin hat am i?

**Peter | 1:15**

What no

Ill have you know im a very serious person

I even have an ID to prove it

**Not Ned | 1:16**

I…

Don’t even know what to say to that

**Peter | 1:16**

Clearly you should acknowledge my seriousness

**Not Ned | 1:16**

Kid, you’re having a conversation

With a stranger

Who could be a serial killer for all you know

I cannot acknowledge your seriousness in any capacity

 

**Peter | 1:17**

  How do you even know im a kid?

And I mean you could be a serial killer

But you could also be an alien

Its an equal possibility

Did you not see the invasion in new york?

**Not Ned | 1:23**

Well if I didn’t know

I definitely know you’re just a kid now

And trust me I saw

I can assure you those are aliens are not fond of texting

**Peter | 1:24**

But are they the only aliens out there?

Maybe theyre in your brain bidding their time

Like yeerks

**Not Ned | 1:25**

Like what?

**Peter | 1:25**

Like yeerks

They’re from this book series I used to read when I was little

Like slugs

And then they crawl into an ear cannal

And take over your brain

**Its cool**

**Not Ned| 1:26**

It’s gross is what that is

They let little kids read that?

**Peter | 1:27**

I mean it’s a really good series

The books are rlly short

But theres like seventy

And far more descriptions about the yeerks than id like

But what can you do

Did you know they all live in pools, so they’re like slimy slugs

Just chilling with each other

And you can tell someone was taken over by a yeerk cause

Their ear itches

 

**Not Ned | 1:28**

This conversation is getting too weird for my liking

So im going to go

And try to eat lunch with that description in mind

Thanks for that by the way

Go gross out Ted or whoever you meant to text instead

**Peter | 1:29**

oh sorry

didn’t mean to gross you out

go enjoy your lunch

or uhm at least try to?

But yeah sorry for texting you

I really didn’t mean it

Yeah okay I’ll shut up now

(Read)

 

Peter put down the phone for a second and gave it a look only to pick it up a few seconds later. 1:30. He had talked to the stranger, now known to his phone as Not Ned, for about thirty minutes. Peter couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked to anyone for so long. Granted it wasn’t so much talking as it was texting but still. It was entertaining enough. Strange, odd and possibly stupid thanks to Peter’s bad habit of making stupid jokes? Sure. But that didn’t change the fact that he’d managed to do something for thirty minutes, other than stare at the wall or pretend that he was listening to someone.

He felt odd… refreshed. His head had cleared away from the emptiness. He saw it. A tiny sliver of hope that things wouldn’t always be like this.

It wasn’t a good day by any means, but suddenly the last thing he wanted to do was to stay all cooped up in the tiny little apartment. It had been nice to talk about stupid things for a while without having to deal with looks of either sympathy or people being annoyed with him for taking so long to deal with his grief, and now he felt as if he’d go stir crazy if he stayed inside.

As he chewed on his lucky charms, Peter replayed the conversation out in his head.

He was mostly joking about the aliens, but the question still stood. Who had he been texting?

His head exploded with a plethora of questions. Was it safe? Who was it? Maybe some kind of important person. Whoever it was had definitely been upset at Peter having the number. Maybe someone famous? Didn’t seem likely. Could easily be someone who was just pranked by some friends and had his number shared around.

His phone let out a little buzz and Peter hesitated. Now that he wasn’t actually distracted with him and Not Ned’s nonsensical conversation, he was actually beginning to question his sanity at talking with a stranger. Although would someone dangerous remind him of stranger danger? Peter was confused.

**XXX-XXX-XXXX | 1:46**

Hey just wanted to make sure you're still coming over

It’s okay if you’re too tired and would rather rest

 

Peter paused. This must have been Ned’s actual number. The listlessness that had settled over him was gone. Now that he had managed to get out of bed he felt okay. He wasn’t thinking of uncle ben nonstop now at the very least. He looked at Ned’s message once more. He nodded to himself. Spending time with Ned would be good for him, and he didn’t want to disappoint his friend. Especially not now that he felt better. Plus he had a very interesting story to tell Ned now.

_

“I’m sorry you did what with a stranger?”

“We talked about aliens,” Peter said with a shrug, biting into a pizza roll and avoiding Ned’s very concerned expression. Now that he had

“Dude!” Ned exclaimed, “He could be a serial killer or something!”

“He suggested that too, got really in my case about stranger danger,” Peter told him, brandishing his phone. Ned snatched it and started going through the conversation.

“At least one of you has common sense,” he heard Ned mutter as his friend scrolled through. “But seriously? Aliens?”

“I kind of panicked and made a stupid joke,” he said. “And then Not Ned kept answering so I kept answering, I mean it would have been kind of rude not to answer especially since I was the one to bother him in the first place, ya know?”

Ned hummed in response.

“Well, at least you didn’t get kidnapped or lured out to a red room,” he said, causing Peter to chuckle. “Anyways let's put on the movies, we’ve got a lot to get through!”

And so they did.

Peter tossed his phone back and sat cross-legged on the floor next to Ned with their assortment of snacks, the tv glowing in front of him. This felt nice. Hanging out with Ned, having actual conversations instead of his friend just talking to him and Peter giving half-hearted answers. Uncle Ben’s loss was still heavy in his heart but for now, he felt like he could slowly heal. Peter had hope, he realized as the opening scene begins. He had realized this earlier of course, but now it suddenly felt more real.

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Radioactive Roaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter | 11:39 AM  
> Do you ever just wanna be a cockroach just to survive the apocalypse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took far longer than I thought it would to upload. Damn
> 
> Long story short, my health sucks (I'm chronically ill) and I'm also a student and welp what can I say. Life got away from me. Next chapter will be coming way sooner!

 

It’s unfortunate, Peter thinks later, that one good day isn’t a magical fix it for his problems. The sleepover is great. The most fun he’s had in a very long time. The first time he’s really allowed himself to be happy ever since Ben. But it’s not enough, because no matter how hard he tried to cling to that feeling of joy, happiness and comfort he felt, as soon as Monday arrived he was back to his dismal state, of barely staying afloat.

It made Peter want to through a tantrum because it wasn’t fair. Unfortunately, life wasn’t fair, and it could take so much more for him, so if the most he had to deal with right now was school, then he’d bear it. He’d done it once. He could be better. Peter had to be better. For May and for Ned.

Saturday had proved that if he somehow tried hard enough, he’d be able to pull himself out of this. It was all up to him, he just needed to try harder. At least that was his mindset on Sunday, when he had been sleepy, and not in too bad of a mood but not feeling too great.

Monday on the other hand? It wasn’t a good day for him.

He’d had a terrible dream last night, like how Uncle Ben had died, but worse because this time it had been Aunt May and it didn’t really feel like a memory. The way it happened was the same but then everything was different. It had been a clown with a water gun, and maybe watching a clown thriller with May hadn’t been a good idea. But he had just wanted to make her happy, just like he had managed to do with Ned.

And he had. But Saturday had taught him something. He could make them happy, but for him. Happiness… he didn’t think he’d be able to grasp it anytime soon.

Peter’s good student Façade was harder than ever to keep on Monday. Flash, as usual, was a dick and it had taken everything in his self-control not to snap at him. Flash was hard enough to deal with as was, he didn’t need to make things harder for himself. There was also the teachers who didn’t hesitate to call on Peter as much as they could, and Peter had a sneaking suspicion they were making up for all the questions he missed while staring blankly at the wall, or just straight out walking out of school. He got most of them wrong, but at least he was trying.

Oh god. So hard. He was trying so goddam hard, so why wasn’t it getting easier?

He managed to make it through the third class of the day before it became too much, and before he could give himself his responsibility speech, he had turned left instead of right and kept walking straight to the end of the corridor where the boy’s bathroom sat.

It was loud and smelly in there with people shuffling in and out. Peter almost left, but the bathroom was a better place to be than class right now. He was reaching the end of his rope and fast.

He avoided eye contact with everyone in there and went to the last stall in the corner, as far away as possible, and put down the toilet seat while he quietly waited for everyone to shuffle out and go to class like the responsible students they were. A hall monitor would come by in a few minutes. Peter was ready for that. He hung his bag on the little hook on the door and sat criss-cross on the toilet seat so no one could see his feet.

True to his calculations the hall monitor came and went, and Peter stayed. As soon as the bathroom door was closed Peter let out a shaky breath and tried to ignore the stinging behind his eyes. He wouldn’t cry. He was over that stage. He had to be strong. He wasn’t all that sure where he’d find that strength from, but he had to. It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Ben had died and he had cried, but he couldn’t stop doing it, and he hated himself for being so weak, and for missing him so much. It just wasn’t fair, was it? First his parents and now Ben. Who was next? May.

He let out a shaky breath. No, if he started thinking about what he’d be bawling his eyes out for hours.

His phone chimed and Peter after a second of hesitation pulled it out. It was from Ned.

Ned | 11: 35 A.M

Where are u? are u okay?

Peter | 11:36

Yeah

I’m going to sit this class out

I’ll be back for lunch

Maybe. Maybe he wouldn’t. Peter wasn’t very sure about that right now. It was getting hard to breathe and his hands were tingly. The classic beginnings of a panic attack. Of course. Did he have anything to be panicking about? No. Was he having a panic attack regardless? Yes because that was his life now.

 He exited the chat and was about to leave the app when something caught his eye. Not Ned. The stranger from the other day whose number he hadn’t deleted. He had kept the chat to show Ned the other day, and then he had simply forgotten about it.

Peter clicked on the chat ready to delete it, and forget about it.  It didn’t quite work like that though, because before he could really talk himself out of it, his fingers clicked against the digital keyboard, typing up a new message. He stared in horror at the two blue check marks that appeared on his screen, before he could do anything like delete it.

Peter | 11:39 AM

Do you ever just wanna be a cockroach just to survive the apocalypse?

Read

—

Tony didn't really have what one would call good mornings or mornings at all. Whenever he could get away with it, he worked all night in his laboratory and slept during the day like some sort of depressed vampire. Once upon a time that had been different. Back when the Avengers were a thing. Back when he had convinced himself he had finally found a family. Not anymore.

This particular Monday he had been woken up by a persistent FRIDAY, who he had instructed to do whatever it took to wake him up. She had taken that to heart and had begun blasting his banned music list at him until he stumbled into the shower. Tony held a little regret there, at programming FRIDAY with a prankster streak. A streak he knew was there, no matter how collected and composed she behaved.  

The meeting that had ruined a perfectly good morning of catching up came and went. The only reason Tony had even bothered going was thanks to the well placed and frankly absolutely terrifying threat to his life Pepper had made if he decided to blow off yet another meeting. The Civil War had thrown the world into a frenzy yes, but no one shouldered more of the weight than Pepper, who as CEO had to deal with their stock drastically dropping, and keeping Stark Industries afloat.

Then there was General Ross.

In his humble opinion, General Ross could go to hell. Unfortunately, no one cared about his opinions so he was stuck playing nice with the asshole.

How hard was it to understand that no, nothing had changed between the last week they had talked and that no Tony still had no idea where the rouge avengers had holed up? And that frankly he didn’t care. Okay, sure he hadn’t told Ross that, because apparently it was his job to care, but he really didn’t. He had tried to help Steve and look where that had gotten him, so Tony was done with caring about anything to do with those traitors.

“FRIDAY the penthouse please,” he said rubbing his temples as a migraine threatened to blossom and make this absolute inconvenience of a day even worse. There was probably some cosmic force up above mocking him.

His phone rang as he crossed the threshold and Tony let out a long over-exaggerated groan with only FRIDAY as his witness. In the comforts of his own home he could be as dramatic as he liked and no one would judge him for it. It was a fantastic feeling. Tony briefly entertained the idea of ignoring his phone as he high tailed it to the bar. The jingle had been the generic one as opposed to the customized tones he had for all his friends. Well for Pepper and Rhodey now. The rest of his friends had decided that the wanted criminal lifestyle was the one for them. He tried not to feel too bitter about that and pulled his phone out. And then blinked in confusion.

Peter | 11:39 AM

Do you ever just wanna be a cockroach just to survive the apocalypse?

 

“FRIDAY?”

“Yes Boss?”

“Do me a favor and read that latest text message to me out loud.”

“Do you ever just wanna be a cockroach just to survive the apocalypse?” FRIDAY proceeded to say in her Irish lilt. Tony stared at the screen of his phone. Had he unknowingly gotten drunk?

Tony | 11: 41

I’m going to say this in the nicest way possible

What the absolute fuck????

Tony had been sure that after their admittedly nauseating conversation about slimy brain aliens, he’d never hear back from Peter who had no clue what stranger danger was. Clearly he had been mistaken.

Peter | 11: 42

I’m sorry about that

Im just

Going to go and never text you again

Tony | 11:44

What?

No, you do not get to send me THAT message

Without telling me what the hell you’re smoking

Peter | 11:45

I’ve told you this before

I don’t do drugs

Tony | 11:45

Could have fooled me

Peter | 11:46

I just left biology you know

And we were talking about how

Dinosaurs were loosers for dying out and roaches were the real winners

Cause yanno, they’re still around

I’m still convinced Raid does nothing against them

And just makes us hallucinate their death

Tony | 11: 48

Listen

If you’re not taking drugs willingly

Then someone must be slipping em to you

Because what the fuck?

Peter | 11:49

I mean

It hasn’t been a good day

Thinking up ridiculous stuff helps a little

Although it stopped being helpful hours ago

Tony | 11:50

So you decided the next best thing was what?

Messaging a stranger possibly serial killer?

There a better things to do kid

You’re just begging to get murdered

Peter | 11: 51

I am really sorry about that

I didn’t mean to, just I dunno

Was going to delete the chat and texted you about roaches

before I really thought things out

I won’t bother you anymore

Promise

There’s something about the tone in the messages that made Tony think twice before sending a message that reads “Thank You”. Because to a certain point, this wasn’t some random stranger texting him. Well actually it was, but it was also a kid. One with a family, who had friends, and who had apparently had a day so bad he could only make it better by texting a stranger. Reading a tone through text was hard, but there was something that made a pretzel twist in his stomach. He didn’t like the desperate tone of these messages. The nervousness of this kid.

So he deleted the 'Thank You'  and texted him back something else. Keep him talking. That's what Tony needed to do. 

Tony | 11:52

Frankly I don’t care

Im mostly concerned for your well being

And whether or not someone is drugging you kid

Might wanna keep your eye on the drinks when you’re out clubbing

Peter | 11:53

Unless my aunt may is trying to kill me for some fortune I don’t have

I’m pretty sure im good mr. stranger

Or ms. Stranger

Mx. ??

You know what they say about assuming.

Tony | 11: 54

You got it right the first time kid

How old are you anyways

And how long are you planning on skipping class?

That’s not very responsible of you

Peter | 11:55

I’m fourteen

And I mean until I feel like im not dying anymore

Figure it would be less rude if I drop dead in the bathroom

Instead of the class you know

That would probably be pretty embarrassing as well.

Tony | 11:55

You know you have an extreme disregard for stranger danger

And what do you mean dying?

Do I need to get an ambulance to you??

“Hey FRIDAY start tracking the kid’s cellphone,” he said, letting his glass of scotch thump down on the counter with a thunk. This kid was fourteen. Practically a baby. Tony was extremely concerned.

“Right away Boss,” FRIDAY said and he could see the tracking being pulled up on the TV screen, where he could keep track of things. FRIDAY thought of everything.

Peter | 11:56

What no

Its fine.

My aunt says they’re just anxiety attacks

It does feel like I’m dying though.

Tony |11: 57

Geez kid

You’re a bit young for panic attacks aren’t you

Peter | 11:58

I guess

The doctor said I should get over it

He wasn’t a very good doctor

Tony | 11: 58

No shit

That’s a terrible doctor

Do me a favor and never go to that doctor again

Peter | 11:59

Aunt may has you covered on that

She was very angry at him

Well im going to go to class now

If I don’t go back before the bell rings

Flash will probably through my stuff out a window

Tony | 12:00

How about I throw flash out the window instead?

Peter | 12:00

Mr. Stranger >:(

No that’s murder

And murder is illegal

Tony | 12:01

The name’s Tony

And fine

I guess this flash individual is spared for now

Listen kid

Next time you get a panic attack

Text me

It’s always better if you have someone to distract you

Peter | 12:02

I don’t wanna be a bother Mr. Tony

Tony | 12:03

It’s not a bother kid

I wouldn’t be offering if it was

Now go to class kid and be a good student or whatever

Peter | 12:03

Right away!

Thank you Mr. Tony!

For talking to me and stuff!

Tony sighed and glanced at the little blinking dot. Midtown huh. A STEM school; that meant the kid was pretty smart.

He was also okay for now and perhaps that was the most important thing. The world didn’t need to lose a kid like that. A smart kid that went to school and was young enough to talk to strangers they accidentally texted and talked about inane stuff just because it was fun and helped distract him. This kid, whoever he was, was knee-deep in depression and Tony knew then and there he couldn’t leave him alone. 

Once upon a time, Tony had been that kid, and here he was. The universe had another thing coming if it thought he was going to let this kid go through the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Peter isn't in a good place right now so i tried to capture that with my writing. Hopefully, I succeeded! See you next chapter! If ya'll wanna say hello or talk on tumblr you can find me at [banananabat](https://banananabat.tumblr.com/)
> 
> -Bat

**Author's Note:**

> And here we are at the end! 
> 
> So basically we got some setup, some Peter angst, and stupid conversations! Yell at me at [my Tumblr](https://banananabat.tumblr.com/) i reblog spiderman stuff, iron man stuff, and post fics and other things there as well. You can also throw prompts at me if you'd like!
> 
> Bat signing out!


End file.
